


all it does is rain

by silveronthetree



Category: Think of England - K. J. Charles
Genre: M/M, Mystery, Original Character Injury, SCIENCE!, background Fenella Carruth/Patricia Merton, contains an excess of taxidermy, there may be too much palaeontology in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 16:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17026398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveronthetree/pseuds/silveronthetree
Summary: When Archie Curtis is urgently summoned to a house party by his uncle, the explorer Sir Henry Curtis, he's rather reluctant to attend. He's still recovering from his last rather terrible experience at a house party, and he hasn't seen Daniel for weeks.Featuring science, mystery and some terrible weather, this house party doesn't turn out to be quite as bad as the last one





	all it does is rain

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sixthlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sixthlight/gifts).



> This was a delightful assignment, full of my favourite things and was so much fun to write. I really hope you enjoy reading.

Curtis had been rather put off house parties since he'd returned from the war, and based on his last experience, he'd been determined to refuse the next invitation. That decision hadn't lasted long, and he found himself getting off a train in the south coast town of Lyme Regis, not six months later, on his way to attend a house party under slightly odd circumstances. He'd had an urgent summons from his uncle, Sir Henry Curtis, to a house party near Lyme Regis. Sir Henry was back in England after his latest African expedition. Curtis had no idea quite what was so urgent, but he couldn't refuse the uncle who raised him. Particularly as he rarely saw him these days, what with Sir Henry spending his time adventuring with his friend Captain Good. The invitation to the house party had been the usual sort of thing from the owner of the house, Charles Whitaker. But there had been a scrawled note enclosed with it from his uncle, requesting his presence urgently. He wondered why he hadn't sent a telegram.

The timing was damned inconvenient. Curtis hadn't seen Daniel for a few weeks. It had probably been the longest they'd been apart since immediately after the Armstrong affair. Daniel had been away visiting family and Curtis missed him. Daniel was due back at any time, and who knew what kind of danger he could end up in while Curtis was stuck idly at the coast for two weeks. It was his job to protect Daniel. And after six months they still hadn't caught the mole in the Foreign Office Private Bureau. 

At least it wouldn't be a completely wasted visit. He'd catch up with his uncle, and the walking around the area was supposed to be good. Now his knee wasn't giving him pain, he could enjoy such things in the way he had before Jacobsdal. Fresh air and coastal views had some appeal, if only the weather improved. It had been raining since he arrived in Dorset.

He'd sent a letter round to Daniel's to explain his absence, with instructions to send for him if he was needed on a case. He did worry about Daniel when he wasn't close. 

Whitaker had sent a motor car to pick him up from the station. It was a thankfully short drive through the driving rain. When Curtis arrived he was greeted by the hostess, Miss Phoebe Whitaker, a rather plain young woman with a kind face. She suggested he get himself settled. "I'm afraid my brother Thomas is out for one of his tramps, we had a rather good storm last night," she explained. "I believe your Uncle is with him. Sir Henry is so looking forward to seeing you." 

Curtis was confused by the reference to the storm, but nodded. "Thank you for inviting me, Miss Whitham."

"I'll get someone to show you to your room, she replied. "We've a few other guests, mosty friends of my other brother Freddie, but you can meet them before dinner."

He couldn't help comparing it favourably to Peakholme, the Armstrong's house. The house was a much more expected layout, with nothing modern. It was remarkably similar to the house he grew up in. Worn, but comfortable, with the remnants of travel, if not to the same locales, scattered through it. He'd never seen quite so many products of a taxidermist's trade outside a museum, peculiar animals, brightly coloured birds and lizards littered the corridors. When he arrived in his room, the dressing table was covered with a dark red marble, there were fossilised shells on the shelves and a rather overstuffed beaver staring down at the bed from a cabinet. Thankfully the bed looked comfortable enough. He refused help with dressing for dinner and swept aside some pretty but inconveniently placed fossil shells to make room for his shaving kit as he unpacked.

When he was left alone, Curtis felt rather a fool checking the hanging mirror, before he dressed for dinner. He was unaccountably relieved that it was removable, and there was nothing concealed behind it. 

*

The drawing room was furnished in a remarkably similar way to the rest of the house. Over the fireplace, where he'd usually expect to see a portrait of a revered ancestor or the master of the house was a slab of grey rock, embedded with a fish-like fossilised sea creature. It drew his eye immediately and he tried not to gape. It was enormous and quite dominated the room.

There appeared to be about half a dozen people there. He couldn't see his uncle, although in one corner there was a laughing group sat on a settee, partly concealed by a moth-eaten stuffed lion. The only person he recognized was Miss Whitaker, who was conversing with a man a few years older than Curtis. The man looked familiar, Curtis wondered if he'd known him in the army. He rather looked the sort. She left her conversation to greet Curtis. 

She introduced Curtis to her companion, "Philip Merton, served with Charles in the Army." Right, Charles was the older brother. His host.

"Archibald Curtis?" Merton asked. "It's a pleasure. I believe you know my sister, Pat."

That explained the familiarity. He did look like a male version of his sister. "Yes, she's a good sort," Curtis said, with a genuine smile. "I got to know her last year."

"Yes, she said much the same about you" Merton nodded gravely. "A bad business that. She'll be joining us tomorrow, so you can catch up. Went to school with Phoebs here," he nudged Miss Whitaker familiarly. 

Archie revised his estimated of Miss Whitaker's age up several years. "I look forward to it." It would be good to see Pat Merton. He wondered if Fenella Carruth would be accompanying her. They seemed rather inseparable but this didn't quite seem like the lively Fen's kind of party. 

Next was an elderly lady with curly wisps of white hair and alert eyes. She smiled up at him from the low sofa she was occupying. "Lady Antonia Graves, a dear friend of the family," Miss Whitaker explained. 

"You do look like your Uncle," Lady Antonia said, surveying him appraisingly. 

Curtis smiled a little uncomfortably.

Just as Miss Whitaker raised her hand to get the attention of the group in the corner, Sir Henry entered the room. He was talking to a middle aged man with dark hair, who looked very like Miss Whitaker. This must be the his host, Charles Whitaker. 

"Charles, this is Mr Curtis," Miss Whitaker introduced him. 

But before he could even make eye contact with his host, his uncle spoke, "Archie, my dear boy, I'm so glad you could make it." Sir Henry grasped Curtis's bad hand with surprising delicacy as he pumped it vigorously, clasping his shoulder. "You're looking much better than I'd expected." 

"It's good to see you too, Sir."

"Charles was a travelling companion of mine for a while," Sir Henry waved at the man next to him. "He's an excellent fellow to have around. He's forgotten more about rocks and minerals than I've ever known."

Curtis shook hands with Whitaker, but before they could exchange more than a basic greeting, Sir Henry's larger than life presence captured the whole room's attention and the rest of the group emerged from their corner. Curtis turned from his uncle to see a very familiar face. 

It was Daniel. 

In a drawing room, miles from London, looking like a sight for sore eyes. Immensely conscious of his uncle's presence, it was hard not to let his shock and astonishment show. Nor was it to show his delight. He wasn't expecting to see Daniel for weeks. 

Daniel, however, couldn't do circumspect. He looked back and forth between Curtis and his uncle in feigned astonishment, "Good God, there are two of them," he exclaimed. "The Vikings have invaded." 

Curtis tried not to flush, at the use of what had become an intimate pet name.

"Hello Curtis," Daniel said. "I'm surprised to see you again." He wasn't projecting quite such a persona as he usually did. 

Curtis grasped his hand, and tried not to clutch at it as he wished. "Hello, da Silva."

"I see there is no need for introductions," Miss Whitaker said to Curtis, with a slight quirk of her eyebrow. "Sir Henry, this is Daniel da Silva, a poet and a good friend of my other brother, Freddie."

His uncle chuckled, actually chuckled. He shook Daniel's hand without any sign of distaste and turned to Curtis, "How ever did you two meet?"

"That bad business at the Armstrongs," Curtis explained. "Dan - Da Silva," he corrected hastily, "had the fortune to leave before the tragic events."

"I do so hope this is a more auspicious gathering. I had quite decided to give up house parties after that nastiness," Daniel said with a quirk of his lip.

"Yes, quite," Curtis said inanely. His worlds were colliding. Sir Henry seemed to like Daniel. An odd feeling of relief swept Curtis.

The last two were introduced, clearly well established friends of Daniel's, which explained his presence. Frederick Whitaker, or Freddie as his siblings called him, a sculptor and his wife, Ygraine. Ygraine looked exactly the way Curtis expected an artist's wife to with her loose hair and flowing dress. She seemed rather sweet. 

In previous circumstances, before he met Daniel, Curtis would've been rather repulsed by Freddie Whitaker's velvet jacket and his studied air of artistry. But Daniel had changed that, he'd had a chance to see beneath the surface veneer to find something he admired. He vaguely remembered Daniel mentioning a Freddie, and wondered if it was this one. It was rather good to meet Daniel's friends. Daniel had kept them rather separate until now. Curtis understood his reasons but he was rather pleased this opportunity had fallen into his lap.

*

"Meet me in the conservatory later," Daniel said softly, as he passed him on the way into dinner.

Curtis knew Daniel's main purpose was to determine why they were both there. But his mind had other ideas and he willed his body to calm down. 

Dinner was pleasant, despite the backdrop of heavy rain and wind battering the windows. The dining room itself was warm enough and cosily lit with gaslight and the company was pleasant. Curtis was sat between Lady Antonia and his uncle at dinner. He was rather pleased to be sitting across from Daniel, but the table was too wide for easy conversation. 

"Curtis was quite dumbstruck by your sea dragon when he arrived," Lady Antonia told Charles Whitaker, who was at the head of the table on her other side. 

Charles's eyes lit up and he launched into an explanation. "Do you see those eyes? They have a special bone ring around them. This one is a rather remarkable specimen, an Ichthyosaur, you know. Dug up further west along the coast," he said and sighed. "I didn't have the fortune to find it myself. It's an expectant mother with its young. Excuse my indelicacy, Lady Antonia," he apologised. 

She smiled indulgently. "Do go on."

"It's a reptile, but doesn't seem to produce eggs like most reptiles."

Archie expressed his surprise. He remembered one of Sir Henry's more dramatic stories about a crocodile and its nestful of eggs. He resolved to look more closely at the specimen to find the young Ichthyosaur.

"He has a passion for fossils. You won't stop him once he's started," Freddie Whitaker interjected from across the table. There was a sharp note to his voice at odds with his languorous air.

Daniel glanced at Freddie Whitaker. "Curtis seems to be a willing audience," Daniel said with a laugh. "If I remember correctly he certainly has a head for science".

"Oh yes, you met before. That was a rather bad business you got mixed up in," Merton said with a frown. "My sister was there." He went on to describe the inquest to the fascinated room. Pat must have told him about the inquest in detail. He teased Curtis a little about his practice-shooting cover story. "You should come for a proper shoot, you'll have no problem finding plenty to practice on."

He took the ribbing good naturedly, Merton seemed like a good chap. He felt almost relaxed, he was used to this. Clearly Pat hadn't told Merton the whole story. Curtis caught Daniel's eye, and the laughter there. 

*

The conservatory was rather lovely. It was as mass of living green, completely filled with plants, many of which Curtis had never seen before. He had managed to slip away from the drawing room first, with the excuse of stretching his bad knee. It was an excuse now. As he waited for Daniel, he bent down to look at one of the small labels tied to each plant. It detailed a name in Latin and the place of origin. Terribly scientific. Daniel must have visited before, as it was an excellent place to find privacy, the mass of plants would hide them and muffle their voices until someone was very close.

Daniel eventually emerged from a mass of ferns in one corner. "Hello Archie, this is a wonderful surprise," he said softly. He gave Curtis a genuine smile and Curtis fought the urge to pull him into his arms.

"You didn't get my letter?" Curtis asked. It probably just missed him, if he'd arrived earlier in the day.

"No. And I'm guessing that you didn't get mine either."

Curtis thought about the pile of envelopes he'd abandoned after he read Sir Henry's note, he hadn't noticed Daniel's distinctive hand. "I suppose I didn't expect you to write. Are you on a case?"

Daniel shook his head. "No, my nursemaid was otherwise occupied," he quirked a smile at Archie, "and nothing urgent was required. So I was sent on leave. Freddie's invitation was rather timely. I think he was bored and wanted some company that was less energetic than his brother's friends. You?"

"Sir Henry requested that I come as a matter of urgency. I'm not too sure why. We haven't had a chance to talk privately."

"Summoned by your uncle, I see."

"Was Freddie Whitaker of your, you know-" Curtis asked. It was better to know these things and he'd been wondering.

"Good lord no," Daniel said with a snort. "He's obsessed with that wife of his. She's an artist too, oils. A nice girl but a little naive."

"Oh," Curtis said. He was glad that was the case. He wasn't sure he was quite ready to meet one of Daniel's former lovers. A friend was another thing entirely.

"Hmmm. Well I'm very glad you're here." Daniel gave him a look from under his eyelashes that promised many wonderful things. "Are you up to sneaking around under your uncle's gaze."

"Yes," Curtis said without hesitation. He wished he could kiss him. He'd missed him so much.

*

Much later, Daniel slipped into Curtis's room, dressed in his dressing gown and Curtis finally relaxed. Daniel inspected the room, taking in the beaver staring down at the bed, and firmly turning it to face the wall. "That's extremely off putting. I thought the zebra head mounted on the wall of my room was bad."

"I checked for a two way mirror," Curtis admitted, shamefacedly.

"As did I." Daniel shivered. "This place is damned cold. Come and warm me up," he said, looking up through his eyelashes. 

Curtis did so eagerly, pulling Daniel down onto the bed, and under the covers, before unfastening his dressing gown.

"Darling Archie," Daniel said, as he settled into Curtis's arms and tilted his face up to kiss him. 

"God, I've missed you like this," Curtis said after some minutes. 

He felt the vibration of Daniel's laugh against his bare chest. "Don't let me fall asleep, after," Daniel whispered and slipped his hand down lower and lower.

*

Curtis rose early for breakfast feeling surprisingly well rested. He'd fallen asleep immediately after Daniel left with much reluctance the night before. Sir Henry was the only other person at the breakfast table when he arrived.

"Archie, I'm glad I could catch you alone." his uncle said. "You must be wondering about the urgency of the summons."

"I was, rather," Curtis replied. Sir Henry looked even more relaxed than usual so it was unlikely to be bad news.

"I want you to join me on my next expedition."

Curtis gaped at him. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but it wasn't this. 

"Vaizey mentioned that your problem with your knee was over. So I thought about inviting you along. You'd be a good man to have in a tight spot and I thought the African sun would do you good." 

Curtis would've been delighted to have that invitation, six months ago. The proof that he was fit again after Jacobsdal and the fulfillment of a childhood dream. But now everything was different. There was Daniel. But he couldn't say that that. There was one thing he could think to ask, "Why the urgency of the invitation?"

"Ah, well I'm here to plan things with Charles, he'll be our geologist. We're leaving as soon as the party ends, so I needed to meet you here." 

"I'm afraid I have commitments in London, Sir," Curtis said. "A job."

Sir Henry blinked. "You do? You've kept that quiet." 

Curtis wasn't sure what to say. This was the sort of thing Daniel was good at and he wished he was here. In all their planning, they hadn't covered a possible cover story when your uncle invites you on an expedition. He didn't want to lie to Sir Henry. 

"Um." He could feel himself flushing. "Sir Maurice found something for me at the Foreign Office. I like it."

Sir Henry stared at him. "I see." Memories of every poor report card, every time Curtis had escaped the school room to play outside was behind that gaze. Curtis working for the Foreign Office was unlikely to say the least. Particularly in the sort of non-essential desk job it was most likely for Curtis to be given.

Curtis tried not to squirm. This was almost as bad as one of Sir Maurice's debriefings. Worse because he couldn't tell the truth. "He thinks I'm doing well."

"Good for you." Sir Henry clapped him on the back. "Well, I don't understand the appeal, but the offer is still there if you ever want it." 

*

After breakfast, Miss Whitaker suggested a walk down to the beach, and along the coast. "I was thinking that we could join Charles for his morning walk and then let him get on with his fossil hunting while we return for lunch," she said. I suspect we'll pass the spot where they found an Ichthyosaur last year, Charles will want to see if anything new has emerged after the storms."

Charles Whitaker nodded. "You know me so well, dear sister."

Freddie Whitaker declined in favour of sculpting while the light was still good. His wife was a late riser and had never arrived for breakfast. Curtis was subsequently surprised when Daniel proposed to join the walk.

"The strange beast might inspire some poetry," Daniel said.

"Really? Not quite your usual topic," Curtis said teasingly. "Unless it's lurking in the depths about to strike."

Sir Henry gave them a sharp look. 

They walked down to the beach in a loose group, led by Charles Whitaker. The path from the house was a few miles long and eventually took a turn down a steep, winding path, taking them to the beach at the foot of the cliff.

Once on the beach, Whitaker led them back to the base of muddy cliff they'd walked down. "The shells here are the most fascinating things. Weather like this means that they're exposed," Whitaker said. "It's too dangerous to go to the bit of a cliff where we've found reptile bones, now there's a risk of land slippage, but here-" It took him a few seconds and then he was pulling something out of the cliff to hand to Daniel, who looked revolted. Curtis instead accepted it in his gloved palm. When he peered at it, it was a perfect little spiral shell made of a dark grey shiny stone.

"It's an ammonite, made of pyrite, fool's gold." Whitaker explained. "Quite a common species that one, but nicely preserved."

Curtis showed it to Daniel and then not knowing quite what to do with it, throw it away, or hand it back to Whitaker, put it in his pocket.

"There's another," Whitaker pointed with his stick, but Curtis couldn't see anything. It wasn't until he bent right down that he saw it.

"It takes a great deal of practice," Miss Whitaker said, with a smile. "I still can't see half the things Charles does." She seemed accustomed to her muddy skirts. 

"They're little molluscs and used to swim in the sea, probably quite deep. Some of the largest are the size of cart wheels," Whitaker said. He was clearly in his element. He'd said more in the last half hour than he'd said all yesterday evening. 

Curtis couldn't imagine it. Shells that big?

"Ammonite? From the Egyptian god, Ammon?" Daniel asked. "He had horns that looked something like that." He gestured towards the shells.

"Yes," Whitaker replied, pleased. "Exactly, his ram's horns. Although people more recently thought they were coiled up snakes."

Daniel shuddered delicately.

*

Conversation turned to the contents of the house as they explored the beach. Curtis and Daniel expressed their admiration for the conservatory and Miss Whitaker admitted that it was her work. "When I was quite a small girl Charles brought me some plants when he was on leave from the army and we planted them together. From then on, I was fascinated. Now I ask everyone I know who travels for plants." 

"You've developed quite the impressive collection," Daniel said. "It feels as if you're entering the jungle. Or at least how I imagine a jungle to be." He turned to Sir Henry. "How does it compare, Sir Henry, from your vast experience of travelling?"

"Well, I've contributed a few plants in my time, but even the hottest English summer doesn't compare to the heat," he replied. "Have you travelled much, da Silva?"

Curtis was focussed on navigating the uneven beach and didn't immediately notice he was walking alone with Phoebe, until he looked for Daniel to point out the view and found that Daniel was some way behind, in deep conversation with Sir Henry. It wasn't the first time, in fact he had the feeling that Sir Henry was pushing him and Phoebe together. When he realised he must've shown his alarm.

She bent towards him, confidingly. "Not to worry," she said in his ear. "I've a fiancé in the army."

He tried to protest, and was sure he was alarmingly red. 

*

They walked a little further and then came to a gate where the path split in two. Miss Whitaker looked at her watch. "I should get back now to arrange lunch."

"Can I accompany you? This fresh air is exhausting." Daniel said. 

She nodded and they turned back to the house. As they walked away, Daniel said something that made Miss Whitaker laugh. Daniel was rather a hit with everyone at this house party and Curtis was glad. He'd come to realise that he couldn't bear to hear anyone say a word against Daniel, whether it was his religion, preferences or anything else, something that happened all too often in their line of work. 

Curtis and Sir Henry and Merton went on with Charles Whitaker. Whitaker, sensing Curtis's interest gave him what amounted to a fascinating lecture on the geology of the area. It was very different from anywhere else he'd been and Curtis was intrigued by the science behind it. How the different shells could act as a guide for mining, for the best places to find particular rocks and minerals.

They eventually turned back for lunch. They left Whitaker behind at his request. "This is the perfect light for sketching," he said, "and I want to make notes on the fault on this cliff. I've got some food with me and I'll see you at dinner. Sir Henry, you know your way back."

Invigorated by a morning outdoors in the sea air. Curtis was very pleased that his bad knee wasn't bothering him any longer and he very much enjoyed his lunch. There was a great deal of freshly smoked fish. If that was the sort of time he was in for, he might actually enjoy this house party.

*

After an afternoon of indoor entertainments, the weather turned unpleasant again, wet and windy. The guests hadn't all stuck together for the whole time, but Curtis and Daniel had played a few entertaining games of billiards, finding creative ways to handicap Daniel. They hadn't been terribly successful and he'd still won the majority of the games. They'd had a great deal of fun trying.

Curtis was just about to leave to dress for dinner when Miss Whitaker came to ask if they'd seen her brother Charles. It appeared that Whitaker hadn't returned. 

"I hope he hasn't injured himself," Miss Whitaker said, her hands twisted tightly together. "He gets terribly distracted on summer evenings, but with this storm coming in there wasn't enough good light to see anything to be distracted by." 

Sir Henry and Curtis offered to help some of the staff look for him in the storm. She handed them some lanterns and showed them where to find the oilskins. "I'll go and let everyone know, and send more people out if you aren't back soon."

Curtis fetched a warm sweater from his room and his new torch, identical to Daniel's. It was an excellent bit of work and just the thing in wind like this.

Merton didn't accompany them, as he had to drive to the station to fetch his sister. "I'm a better driver than anyone else in those conditions. Motoring in this weather is dashed unpleasant," he said. "I hope you find poor Charles quickly. It's a bad night to be out."

They all spread out to search. Curtis and Sir Henry stuck together. After some searching, along the main path they travelled this morning, they heard a faint shout, from the beach. "Here!"

There was a slumped figure on the beach, and one of the groundsmen, White, Curtis thought, was rushing towards it.

He and Sir Henry hurried as fast as they could along the steep, treacherous path down the cliff.

A call rang out, "He's alive!" 

As he got closer he could see that Whitaker was lying there on his back, clotted blood at his temple and his gear and notebook scattered on the ground. There was a pale grey rock to one side, with a splash of blood on it.

"We'll have to move him." Sir Henry took charge. "I can carry him but it would be best to keep him flat."

As an aside for Curtis's ears only "Archie, my boy, you can't grip well enough with that hand, can you?" 

Curtis shook his head. Flexing the remaining fingers on his right hand in their concealing glove. 

Two of the men were unpacking something like a litter. 

"Who's the strongest of you?" Sir Henry asked.

"Me, Sir." White said. 

As Curtis got closer he saw that the rock by Whitaker wasn't an ordinary stone, but had a white fossil enclosed in it, part of a very large ammonite, one that looked quite different from anything they'd seen that morning. As the others got Whitaker onto the litter, Curtis got out his handkerchief and picked up the fossil with a vague idea that it was evidence. The rock was very heavy, almost too heavy to hold with his good hand alone. It was awkward but he could get enough of a grip on it with the help of his other palm, to put it under his arm. One edge appeared to be a fresh break and when he looked around, another piece of the rock was lying a few feet away. It looked as if they fitted together.

*

Sir Henry and one of the groundsmen carried the makeshift litter carrying Whitaker's insensate body into the house. Curtis felt useless, wishing he couldn't help more, but his damned hand just wouldn't let him hold the litter. They caused rather a commotion as they entered the house, as staff and guests emerged into the hall from all directions. Mrs Whitaker shrieked at the sight of them, crying out, "Is he dead?"

Daniel emerged from the library at that comment, and Curtis had the perfect view of the way the blood drained from his face as he saw Sir Henry's grave expression and the litter he was bearing. "Is that Ar-", he whispered and then he slumped in relief as he caught sight of Curtis walking behind them.

Sir Henry glanced at Daniel and then barked to the assembled people, "Someone send for a doctor, and then fetch Miss Whitaker. Charles has suffered a blow to his head, and is in a very bad way," 

The butler, Bartlett, sent someone for the doctor and Daniel offered to find Miss Whitaker, "She was in the conservatory earlier." As he passed Curtis, he lay his hand on the sleeve Curtis's jacket, hidden by both their bodies, as if to reassure himself that he was truly well. He was still rather pale.

Curtis wanted to follow him, but now wasn't the time. Mrs Whitaker looked on the verge of hysterics, so Curtis reassured her that her brother-in-law wasn't dead. "Where's her husband?" he asked the butler. He wasn't the best at dealing with crying women.

"In the studio, I believe, Sir," Bartlett replied, wringing his hands.

"Mr Curtis," Lady Antonia interjected, "you go and find Freddie, and Bartlett and I will look after poor Ygraine."

Curtis agreed with alacrity, and as he left, he heard Lady Antonia offering Mrs Whitaker a soothing cup of tea.

After a quick detour to put the fossil in his room for safety, he found the studio easily, on the north side of the building, remembering his brief tour the day before. It was a bright, messy room, full of blocks of stone, clay models and charcoal sketches. Freddie Whitaker was standing in the center of the room, covered with dust but Curtis couldn't quite see what he was working on. 

None of the sculptures seemed quite finished, stubby featureless figures emerging from blocks of stone. Curtis had seen something similar in the entrance hall of the house and had wondered why it was there.

Freddie Whitaker looked rather sick when Curtis explained the situation, and rushed away immediately. Curtis followed more slowly, the shock of the evening's events fading as he thought about the scene he'd encountered on the storm-swept beach. There was something not quite right. He wanted to talk to Daniel about it.

*

Pat and Fen were in the drawing room when Curtis arrived for a late dinner. There had been a general decision not to dress, and Curtis was still in his sweater and trousers and they were in their travelling clothes. He nodded to Ygraine Whitaker, who was talking to Daniel, and wandered over to where Fen and Pat were standing by the fireplace. 

He caught the end of their conversation. "We should leave. Poor Phoebe doesn't need to worry about entertaining guests at a time like this," Fen said to Pat. "What a frightful accident."

"It's far too stormy to go anywhere, Fen, my dear, and I doubt there are any rooms free this late," Pat said practically.

"Hello," Curtis said, and they both looked up at him. "It's good to see you both looking well, despite the circumstances." 

"It's good to see you again, Archie," Fen said, and as Daniel slipped over to join them, "and Daniel too. What a wonderful coincidence you both being here."

"We really had no idea," Daniel said. "It was completely unplanned."

"Honestly?" Pat said skeptically.

"I swear." Daniel said, his hand on his heart.

"Well you are both very lucky." Fen gave them a conspiratorial smile.

The conversation that evening was subdued, with the most of the discussion centred around the accident. Freddie Whitaker took over host duties in his brother and sister's absence, but remained tense. In the end, Curtis was very glad to escape when he retired to his bed. 

*

The next day the weather remained appalling, and no one had the heart to go out. Curtis found Daniel in the library after breakfast attempting to work on his poetry, but from the state of his hair, he was clearly having trouble concentrating. Its usual brilliantined neatness was in disarray as he'd run his hands through it several times. Usually that would be enough to distract Curtis, as he only ever witnessed Daniel's hair in that state when they were fucking, but today he had something else on his mind.

"Daniel, do you have a minute. There's something about yesterday that's been bothering me."

"Why not?" Daniel said, crumpling up his paper in disgust. "I don't know why I'm even bothering with this."

"I picked up the stone, the fossil, in fact, that hit Whitaker," Curtis explained.

Daniel dropped his pen and gave Curtis his full attention. "That's a very odd thing to do." 

"There was something that bothered me about it, at the time. We were concentrating on getting Whitaker back here, but it seemed like the best course."

"And have you worked out what bothered you?"

"I'm not certain, but I don't think the stone could've fallen off that cliff naturally."

"Do go on," Daniel said, his expression suddenly very serious. 

"Well, it's like Whitaker was saying, it's the principle of stratigraphy. You find different fossils in different places. It's all to do with the relative ages." Daniel seemed to be following his thoughts, so he continued. "The one that hit him doesn't look anything like the fossils we saw in that area. I suppose that's why I picked it up." 

"Are you sure."

"No, I'm clearly no expert but I think I could find out. Whitaker told me he has rather a lot of fossils in drawers from all over this region," Curtis explained. "If only I could get a look at them, I could check. He's apparently meticulous about labelling where they're from."

"I can help you with that."

Daniel slipped out of the room, and shortly after returned with a key. "Miss Whitaker was quite amused by your newfound interest in geology and is happy for us to look through the drawers. Just don't move anything. She would've arranged a tour if the accident hadn't occurred." 

Curtis looked at him, impressed as ever.

"Come along," Daniel said and led the way to a part of the house Curtis hadn't seen before.

The room they found themselves in was impressive. "It looks like a museum." Daniel said with astonishment. Curtis was daunted by the prospect of having to look through hundreds of drawers of rocks. He was relieved when Daniel found a guide on the desk. 

"These are the fossils from this area," Curtis said after a quick perusal of the book. He found all the drawers neatly labelled, and started looking through them. Nothing like the fossil he'd seen on the beach. In one drawer he found a notebook, and on flicking through discovered that it contained sketches of cliff faces that they'd passed on yesterday's walk. He found a sketch of the cliff where they'd found Whitaker, looking a little different, due to the recent landslip but recognizable enough, and started cross referencing names.

He was so engrossed that he didn't even notice Daniel's departure. 

*

He found Daniel again several hours later. "It can't have been an accident."

"If it wasn't an accident, we'll have to find out who it could've been," Daniel said, his face resigned. "Phoebe and Ygraine were both in the library with me after lunch until you arrived and then we were playing billiards all afternoon, until we dressed for dinner, but that was only for a short time and it would take at least an hour to get down to the beach and back. Is this place is isolated enough that it's unlikely to have been anyone from outside?"

Curtis shrugged. "I don't know. The one thing I do know is that the stone was immensely heavy. I could barely lift half of it with one hand." Curtis flexed his fingers remembering the weight. "My uncle could lift it and probably Merton, but I'm not sure of anyone else."

"I haven't discovered what Sir Henry and Merton were doing when they left us to play," Daniel continued. "And I hadn't seen Freddie all day. Ygraine said that she sent lunch to him in his studio. I also don't know the full movements of the servants either, Bartlett appears to have been the only one alone that afternoon, but they'll have to be questioned properly." He paused. Curtis couldn't believe he'd found out that much so fast. He was sure none of them had any idea that he was questioning them. "Archie, are you certain enough to open this can of worms?"

"Yes." Curtis was absolutely certain.

"If Whitaker dies?"

"If he dies, it would be murder and I'm damned if I'll let them go free."

Daniel gave him a fiercely approving smile. "I'm ready when you are." 

*

Curtis felt rather awkward as they gathered in the drawing room before dinner. He was going to have to say something. He was used to making announcements to his company in the army, but announcing that his host's accident wasn't an accident and it was probably caused by someone here - he was not comfortable with that.

Daniel clasped his arm before they went in. "I'll be here, but you know why you have to do this. They won't take it as seriously from me."

Curtis wished he could refute that, but it was true. 

"Just be careful, Archie. This needs very delicate handling."

Curtis waited until everyone was assembled, trying to work out what to say. He felt horribly uncomfortable but this had to be done. When Mrs Whitaker commented, "It was dreadfully unlucky that the cliff gave way just as Charles passed. He goes there practically everyday." He seized his opportunity.

"I'm not certain it was an accident," he announced.

"I beg your pardon," Lady Antonia said. "Do you mean to say someone did this to him deliberately?"

"But the whole cliff is unstable," Miss Whitaker protested.

"I took a look at the stone that hit him. Here," he said before putting it down on the small table in front of him. "It isn't the sort of fossil from that cliff." He pulled a handful of pyrite ammonites from his pocket and set them next to the offending stone. "These are, see."

Half the party crowded round the table to look. 

"I've been looking at Whitaker's notes and fossil collection. Ammonites like this one are only found several miles away."

"I have seen some remarkably similar fossils over by the Cobb," Lady Antonia agreed.

"It doesn't look like a natural break either," Curtis said. "This looks as if it's been chipped out of a larger block with a hammer and chisel, you can see the marks here. Look, Whitaker."

He lifted the rock to show Freddie Whitaker, who inspected them and paled. "You're right, Curtis. What a damned thing."

"So it can't have been an accident?"

"No," Curtis said.

"Are you quite certain that's the stone that hit him?" Mrs Whitaker asked. "It could be any stone you picked up."

Curtis could read between the lines, she was speculating that he might've replaced the stone.

"I can ask Sir Henry and White," he mentioned the groundsman who had been there when they found the body. "It's quite an unusual shape and size." He didn't really want to mention that there was still blood on it in front of the ladies. 

"Well no one's died and Charles is conscious again so this doesn't need to be an inquest," Whitaker said.

"Well I believe Archie," Fen said, determinedly. 

Sir Henry gave him a considering look, and then nodded. "His reasoning is certainly good, and fits with my knowledge."

"Oh, Christ. Can't you just let it go," Whitaker said, he looked a little hunted.

"Why?" Merton asked. "If there is someone roaming the coast, hurling rocks at innocent passers by, I think we should at least try to find out who it is. Their aim could be better next time."

"Hear, hear," Lady Antonia chimed in.

They all stared at Whitaker, who stared back.

"Oh, for God's sake. It was an accident. I should know because I caused it."

"What?" Miss Whitaker exclaimed. "Freddie, no!"

"I was rather furious with Charles. No, not enough to hurt him, he's my brother." He paused and took a deep breath. "All he cares about are those stupid fossils, so I took the one that had pride of place on his desk. He was saying it was a new kind or some such thing and was in the process of drawing it for some journal. Well I took it outside and threw it off the cliff so he wouldn't have it." He looked utterly ashamed. 

"It never crossed my mind that there would be anyone underneath, no one is foolish enough to stand right underneath the cliff after a storm like this. But I heard a faint cry and I saw I'd hit someone, I hadn't expected it to travel that far. I thought a stone that heavy would drop straight down from the edge."

Curtis looked around and every one was looking back at Whitaker with the expression he was sure was on his face. Utter dumbfoundedness. Curtis thought back to the stone sculptures he'd seen earlier. He'd discounted Whitaker earlier because he'd assumed that an artist wouldn't be able to lift the heavy fossil, but of course he was a sculptor. Well used to lifting heavy rocks. 

"You're damned lucky it didn't kill him," Sir Henry said icily. "Damned lucky."

Miss Whitaker looked utterly sick, and a little broken-hearted. "You idiot."

"I always wondered how someone who had such a poor grasp of geometry at school, managed to be such a good sculptor," Merton said. "Isn't that all about angles.

Daniel looked furious. He didn't say a word and just shook his head when Curtis looked at him. 

"What did you do with the sketch?" Curtis asked. 

"Hid it in my studio. I couldn't bring myself to destroy it, it was rather beautiful."

*

Everyone made their excuses the next day and the house party began to break up. No one felt comfortable remaining. Charles Whitaker regained consciousness and expressed horror at the idea that he might press charges against his brother. 

"I'll see you in London tomorrow, Sir Henry said to Curtis as he and Daniel were waiting in the hall about to leave. "Charles said he'll be well enough to give me some suggestions tomorrow and I need to find a geologist at short notice." He shook Curtis's hand and clapped him on the back. "That was very well done, my boy. I was beginning to wonder exactly what sort of job Vaizey gave you. Both of you." He looked over at Daniel, who paled a little. Sir Henry reached over and shook Daniel's hand. "You make a good team."

"He isn't supposed to be so perceptive," Daniel whispered to Curtis as they got into the motor car that would take them and Lady Antonia to the station.

"He just knows me very well," Curtis explained. 

As they settled into their carriage on the train, on the way back to London and the privacy of Daniel's flat. Daniel said, "No more house parties for us, I think, Archie my dear."

Curtis smiled. "I agree. Although it's rather a pity. I rather liked everyone there."

"Even Freddie?" Daniel asked.

"He's a fool, a very lucky fool, but likeable. I liked getting to meet friends of yours."

Daniel blinked at him. "Really."

"Yes, really. And you've met all my family now. And both of them like you." In their own ways, certainly, but they both respected Daniel as much as Curtis did and that was very important. 

"Hmmm." He could see the wheels turning in Daniel's mind. "Does that mean you want to meet mine now?" he asked suspiciously.

Curtis laughed. "Who knows what the future will bring." And he was surer than ever that he'd have a future with Daniel. 

end


End file.
